


Aurora

by reyxbway



Category: Lunar Chronicles - Marissa Meyer
Genre: F/M, Gen, Post-Canon Era, dream team selene, fairest spoilers?, fun concept, fun fun fun stuff, general series spoilers watch out, just for fun, kind of?, levana's daughter, not even a retelling tbh, this is a trainwreck i'm sorry
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-03
Updated: 2019-06-03
Packaged: 2020-04-07 10:34:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,232
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19083271
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reyxbway/pseuds/reyxbway
Summary: Aurora Blackburn was sick of lies. Sick of her mother claiming to love her when everyone in the palace--no, in all Artemisia--knew the only reason she was born was to prove that her parents' love was real. Sick of being kept away from her only friend, her half-sister Winter. And most of all,l sick of being locked away and forced to pretend she was a shell, when truly, she was very gifted--more so, perhaps, than Levana herself.When word reaches her that Levana has been overthrown, she is one of the first to rush from her prison and swear fealty to Selene, the true queen of Luna. Selene, upon noting Aurora's skill with her glamour, nominates the young princess for head thaumaturge. The people of Luna, however, don't take this well, believing that Aurora will turn out like her mother. Protests against her rapidly appear, and Aurora finds herself wondering if perhaps her life before wasn't so awful. Will she be able to handle the stresses of the real world?





	Aurora

An enchanting smile spread across Princess Levana’s face as her dear husband Evret entered the room, his little brat Winter tightly in his arms. His face lit up as he caught sight of Levana, though she knew he wasn’t looking at her. He’d never looked at her with so much love and adoration, not even when she wore his deceased wife’s face as she did now. Always disgust. Always hatred. Perhaps now, she mused, he would love her the way she’d always loved him, since she’d given him a child. They were a family now and always had been, and this little girl just solidified that.   
Not only were they truly a family now, but finally, she was equal to Channary, if not better. Princess Selene was nearly six months old now, and the court was growing bored of their little princess. Sure, they still doted on her, but that would soon stop when they saw Levana’s little girl, who was younger, more adorable, and in every way superior to Selene, she was certain of it.   
Evret set Winter down, causing the one-year-old to start whimpering, and walked over to Levana’s bedside, tears accenting the emerald flecks in his brown eyes she loved so much. Her heart fluttered and when he bent down, she thought he was going to kiss her, but instead he just held his arms out. “May I hold her?” he asked. Levana did her best to glamour away her disappointment and nodded, offering the baby to her husband. He smiled and brought the baby to his lips, pressing a soft kiss against her downy forehead. “Hey, little angel. I’m your father, and I promise I’ll do everything I can to make sure you’re safe and happy.”   
Winter toddled over to her father, tugging on his sleeve. “Papa?” she asked, sticking her arms out.   
“No, darling, you can’t hold her.” Winter’s face fell and a single tear dripped down her cheek as if on command. “I know. I know. Maybe later, if your mother says you can. How does that sound?” Winter smiled. Evret bent down and showed the child to Winter, who reached out and touched her cheek. “There. Isn’t she pretty? She looks a little like you, you know.” Evret looked back at Levana. “Do you have any suggestions for a name?”   
“Yes.” She paused for a moment. “Perhaps Autumn, as it is similar to that of our little Winter.” Her stepdaughter’s name was a snarl upon her lips, and Evret recoiled. He shook his head. “No? Brings back too many memories of that Solstice of yours?” Another snarled name. Another recoil. “Well, I’d also thought about calling her Aurora. After all, she was born close to our sunrise, and she’s the dawn of our life as a true family.”   
Evret kissed the little girl again. “Aurora. That suits her. A little princess,” he said. “Just like you, Winter. You two are going to be best friends, I just know it.” He knelt down and looked at Winter. “And I won’t ignore you in favor of your sister. I know you’ve worried about that.”   
“Okay, Papa,” Winter said. “Sister?” She stuck her arms out again.   
Evret laughed. “Yes, this is your sister. Her name’s Aurora. Can you say that?” Winter nodded and did her best to say her sister’s name but ended up stumbling over all the repetitive sounds. She huffed and stamped her foot. “It’s okay. Don’t worry about it. You’ll get there eventually. Everybody struggles.” He stood up and strode back over to Levana, who didn’t even bother to hide her joy. The idea that she was bringing her husband so much joy when she’d never been able to before enchanted her. Perhaps finally, now that she’d birthed a child and survived, he would see her as superior to Solstice.   
Now he would truly, deeply love her.   
Evret placed little Aurora in his wife’s arms and smiled. “Winter’s getting a little antsy. I’d best take her back to the nursery.” He looked out the small window of the hospital room. “Besides, your sister’s here with Selene. She’ll want to see you, no doubt about it.” He took Winter’s hand and pushed open the door, propping it open with his foot. “Come along, darling. You’ve got to take a nap.” The little girl whined, as did Aurora. “Winter. You knew this was coming.” He looked over his shoulder. “And as for you, Aurora, you’ll see your sister again. You’ll be spending a lot of time together. Don’t worry. Sweetheart, do you want me to tell Her Majesty that she can come in?”   
Levana shook her head. “Tell her I need a few minutes to myself. As she should know, childbirth is difficult.” Evret smiled and the sound of his words drifted back to her ears, though she wasn’t sure what he said. No, her mind was full of thoughts about how best to respond to what Her Majesty Channary was going to say about her little Aurora. Something stupid about how Selene was more beautiful, more skilled with her glamour, more everything than her daughter, no doubt. After all, that’s just how Channary acted. She always had to be the best at everything. When Levana was happy, she had to be happier.   
And of course, even though Levana had requested a few minutes to herself, in burst Queen Channary herself, clutching Selene to her breast. “Dear sister,” she said, and Levana prepared herself for a tirade. “I do wish I’d brought you a hairbrush. You look horrible.”  
“I just had a baby, Channary. I apologize for not looking my best,” Levana said, adjusting her glamour so that the beads of sweat on her forehead disappeared and the fuzzy hair on top of her head laid flat. “Better?” she asked. Channary nodded, though she still didn’t look pleased. Then again, when did she ever look happy except when she was with whichever boy she had chosen to take to her bedchambers that night?   
“What have you decided to name the little brat?”   
Levana glared at her, but her sister didn’t seem bothered. “Aurora,” she said.   
“No middle name?”  
“I thought I would let Evret decide on that.” Channary laughed, startling Selene, who began to cry. Channary gasped and shushed her, bouncing her back and forth. “There is nothing wrong with wanting the father to have a say in naming the child. Then again, I don’t suppose you’d understand anything about that, since you don’t even know who Selene’s father is.”   
“There is nothing wrong with raising a child by yourself. It is a show of strength, something I don’t believe you have.” Had Levana not been holding Aurora at the time, she would’ve strangled her sister. Instead, she just bit her tongue. Speaking out against the queen was forbidden, and now, Channary had something else to use against her. Her sister strode over to Levana’s bedside, setting Selene down in one of the chairs as she did so. The little girl whimpered, but Channary paid no mind. “Let me hold her.”   
Levana glared at her from under the thick lashes she stole from Solstice Hayle. “No,” she snarled, holding Aurora closer to her. “You have a child. Let me have mine.” Channary giggled, and Levana’s limbs went slack. She stifled a curse. Of course. Of course her sister would glamour Levana into letting her hold the child. Channary bent down and took the little girl into her arms.   
“Hm,” she said, holding Aurora so she looked into Channary’s warm, upturned brown eyes. “She’s a pretty little thing. Can’t compare with my Selene, but still, I don’t see how she’s your child, baby sister. Shame she’ll never be queen. The people would love her.” She cradled Aurora, who instantly began to cry. “Oh, hush. No need to cry. It’s just your Auntie Channary.”   
“Perhaps that’s why she’s crying,” Levana muttered, finding that she had use of her tongue again. Channary’s permanently smiling eyes turned to ice but melted again as she looked back at Aurora.   
“She’ll make a good playmate for Selene, even if she won’t ever be the queen. Or perhaps a servant. I’m not sure which one.”   
A fire ignited inside Levana. If it was the last thing she ever did, she would make sure her child was not a servant. She was sure of it. “My Aurora is a princess, just as your precious Selene is right now. She will not be a servant to your little brat.”   
Channary giggled again, a sound that made Levana want to curse. “We’ll see about that. Now, I’ve got a meeting with the constable again tonight, and I would not like to be bothered. Perhaps you and that guard of yours can watch Selene?”  
Levana wanted to remind her sister that she just had a baby but figured that it was futile. “Of course, dear sister. The princess will be safe with me.” She hoped her words sounded supportive enough. Channary smiled.   
“Then off I go. Please, do watch young Selene well. Wouldn’t want her getting hurt like you did as a child, would we?” Channary allowed no time for Levana to respond, as she strode out the door without a second thought, leaving it swinging in her wake.  
Levana was discharged a few hours later. She probably should’ve stayed a bit longer, but with a quick usage of her glamour, she coaxed the nurses into letting her leave early. She was a princess, after all. Who were the pathetic nurses to deny her what she asked for?   
She arrived back at her chambers a few moments later, holding both Aurora and Selene close to her. Pushing the door open, she walked in and collapsed onto her bed. “Evret!” she shouted. “I’m back!”   
Evret walked in only a second later. “Hello, sweetheart,” he said, kissing her. One eyebrow quirked upward as he caught sight of Selene. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but there was only one baby back in the hospital room?”   
“Her Majesty has decided that we are to care for Selene tonight. I hope that isn’t too much of an inconvenience for you,” Levana said, though she didn’t quite care what Evret thought. It wasn’t as if she could take Selene back to her mother or risk seeing something she didn’t care to see.   
“Of course not. It is my pleasure to care for the princess tonight.” He laughed. “I’m quite surrounded by princesses tonight, aren’t I? Between you, Winter, Selene, and my—er, our little Aurora, I’m the only non-royal in this room!”   
“You could’ve been a prince.”  
“I know. I’d rather be a guard. I have enough royalty around me without being royal myself.” He smiled. Levana leaned back against her headboard, setting Selene off to the side and holding Aurora close to her. “Do you want me to take Princess Selene to the nursery? I know little Winter will be happy to see her cousin.”  
Levana waved her hand. “It’s okay. She’ll be fine in here. Though, if Winter is really so desperate to see her family, bring her in here. What’s one more child?” Deep inside, her insides curdled at the thought of having to compete for her husband’s affection with one more creature, but she didn’t dare refuse the little girl’s presence in her room for fear of losing Evret’s love altogether. Evret grinned at her, and all the curdling within her melted into warmth. It was worth it to see him so happy. He walked back into his chambers, and from there, into the nursery, returning a moment later carrying Winter.  
The little girl’s eyes lit up when she saw Aurora and Selene. “Sister!” she cried, squirming in her father’s arms. “See sister!”   
“You want to see your sister?” Evret asked, bringing her closer to Levana and the two babies. “There she is! There’s Aurora!” He pointed at Aurora, who whimpered and wriggled around. “Sorry! I didn’t mean to upset you, little one!”   
“Awoo!” Winter crowed, reaching for her little sister. Levana couldn’t help but laugh. She sounded like one of her wolf soldiers, an experiment she’d been informed was coming along nicely. Suddenly, Winter’s face changed. Her big brown eyes got even wider, if that was possible, and she reached forward. “Selene!” she shouted, having had six months longer to learn to say this word. The squirming bundle of tan skin and downy mousy-brown hair turned her head, looking over at Winter. She gurgled, and Winter giggled, delighted.   
“Yes, darling! It’s Princess Selene!” Evret said, overjoyed that his daughter had managed to say a word correctly. He kissed Winter’s forehead. “What do you say to Selene?”  
“Hello!” she chirped. Evret grinned. “Right?” Evret pinched his little girl’s cheek, and she swatted at him. “Papa!” she squealed, wriggling around again. “Down bed.”   
“Okay, okay,” Evret said, setting Winter down on the bed next to her stepmother, her cousin, and her sister. He then crossed to the other side and sat down next to Levana. She smiled as she planted the wish to hold her close in his head, and he stretched his arm around her. Then, she gently coaxed him to give her a kiss, and he did so, pressing one softly to her cheek. “I love you,” he said, once again urged by Levana.   
“I love you too. I love our perfect family.”   
And for once, she truly did.

**Author's Note:**

> Hi friends, it's me! I hope you all enjoyed this little prologue to this! I have no update schedule right now, but if I take too long and you decide you just can't get enough of my writing, check out my Wattpad profile @ajayartsy for more fun stuff! I love you all!


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